1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an airbrush hanging work station with multiple attached airbrush hanging brackets that will hang a plurality of airbrushes and related materials and art supplies. This airbrush hanging work station and brackets hangs to a wall or bench by a variety of methods such as magnetically, bolt on, or with a bench clamp. Its unique ability to hang various types of airbrushes is due to the adjustable components on the airbrush hanger brackets and the overall bracket design. Its ability to hang other items such as airbrush supplies is unique in the fact that the applicable airbrush tools and materials can be stored together on this unique apparatus.
2. Prior Art
The inventor has recognized, in the Airbrushing and Automotive Custom Painting Industry, that a specific need exists for a work station to allow an artist to keep multiple airbrushes and all the related paints and supplies close at hand while doing artwork. This work station would need to hold all types of airbrushes since it would be too costly and inconvenient to have various hangers for each type of airbrush on the market. Most airbrush artists use many different types of airbrushes and these airbrushes do vary in size and shape. The hanger would need to be universal to hold just about every type and style of airbrush. The inventor found that the best way to accomplish this would be to provide adjustable hanging components and special notches and swiveling features on the components that do the ‘hanging’ of the airbrush.
This work station would need to mount to a wall surface very easily and be removable from the wall with speed and ease because an airbrush artist often works in different places and would need to take the hanging device with to where the work is. Since many walls are metal, a work station with magnetic mounting ability would serve most artists. The work station would also have the ability to be permanently bolted to a surface if the user so chose. In other optional embodiments, the device could have a bench clamp to clamping to a side of a table or counter etc.
Common related objects that are used while painting are also able to hang on this device such as tape, air hoses, tack cloth, exacto knife, pencils and other items. These objects have a place to be stored within the device on specifically designed components and storage partitions.
Other prior art and designs of storage devices exist for storing other items, although no prior art has been found that is specifically intended for airbrushes. Some prior art that has been found does show some similarities in the ways it can hang items, but none is similar in scope and overall design such as the airbrush hanging work station and brackets cited by my invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,351 to Najarian (1996) discloses a hanger for a pre-tied knotted necktie assembly in which the assembly includes a necktie, a knot support to form a necktie knot, a clip for mounting, and removing, the necktie assembly onto the neckband of a shirt collar, and a positioning post extending through the necktie knot. Although this disclosure shows an easily removable mounting method, it lacks the details and variations of hanging multiple sizes and types of items within its own system. Its slotted hanging area can be shown similar to the slotted hole in the airbrush hanging assemble, but Najarian does not offer adjustability in this design.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,699 to Hill (2007) discloses a collapsible garment hanger with quick-release lever in which is understood as an apparel apparatus that hangs narrow or small necked shirts and sweaters. It is a collapsible hanger that also has moving parts. There are two hanger arms that rotate about pins on a hanger body, and there is a fulcrum about which a quick-release lever and release tabs pivot so that a locking mechanism can be manipulated. These features can be compared to the airbrush hanging work station and brackets due to the fact that the levers, or hangers, can be released and moved, but the overall design differs greatly from mine since it only hangs one garment at a time, not 3 or more, and it is hooked to a surface without magnets. It also differs in the way its adjustable sizing for different garments. It has locking position that adjust for various sizes but they lock in pre set holes, not a sliding slot for fine tuning of adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,016,199 to Burgers (2006) discloses a receiver with sliding hanger structure designed to receive and engage an interchangeable test adapter such that electrical contacts carried by the interchangeable test adapter and receiver have the capability to release and engaged. The receiver includes sliding cam plates driven by a lever assembly and adjacent sliding hanger structures that are retractable. This is similar in a slight way to the airbrush hanging assembly in the way it slides and retracts, although it will not perform similarly in the way it is adjusted partially open or closed positions to hold shape. The scope of this invention differs entirely, but thought it should be noted due to its retractable feature.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,506 to Brown (2006) discloses a universal, interchangeable tool attachment system offering various tool operator heads and removable, or interchangeable handles, removable/replaceable tools and tool bits, hex drive, and clamp for securing tools, along with other related tools attached. This design shows a slight similarity in the way that multiple tools or working items can be arranged on one portable device, but it does not show similarities regarding adjustable positioning and easy removable action of the items once set in with the device. Although this device will allow the user to store the tools intended, and the user could adjust the position of the specific tool, the overall adjustment and storage design differs in broad scope.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,529 to Hunter (1979) discloses an item transport apparatus comprising a variable thickness carrier device that transports and processes a variety of items or articles including mail pieces of the letter or flat variety. The processing of such items may entail the sorting, compact storing and retrieving thereof. Although this device can move items along a slide, it is different in the way the slide works in comparison to the airbrush hanger work station and brackets. Hunter's disclosure keeps the intended items moving along the slide, whereby my invention is intended to hang the item stationary while the slide acts as an adjustment, not a transportation means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,693 to LoNigro (1979) discloses a fixture support with twisted central portion used for installation in an openwork or grid-type suspension ceiling to support a fixture-hanging junction box. The invention comprises a one-piece strap-iron supporting bar which is adapted to bridge the space between a pair of conventional inverted T-irons. The respective outer end portions of the bar include right angularly positioned downwardly opening hooks which are hooked over the respectively cooperable T-irons and are held in place by accessible setscrews. The median portion of the bar is twisted to stand edgewise and serves to adjustably mount a hanger clip which is carried by the junction box. This description, directly from the patent abstract, describes the invention in the way the adjustability can be compared to the airbrush hanging work station and brackets. Although this invention shows an adjustable slide, or track type movement, it differs in the scope of what it is moving and how it works. This shows a single hanger sliding across a track to hang the items whereby my invention takes two hangers to slide toward or away from each other to hang the intended item, and the item is not attached to the hangers, it simply rests upon it. Permanent mounting of this device is required whereby my invention is capable of portability.
Although these inventions cited do show some similarities in the various slide adjustments, hanging brackets and other features, they all differ greatly in scope and none possess the full list of details as the airbrush hanging work station and brackets.